Sveiki ,sseit maza informaacija par UK internetu.
Where to find broadband internet access in the UK.
Other pages:
Internet Telephony
Listings of broadband ISPs and guides, directories and reviews of providers. Note that ADSL ISPs will generally be companies reselling the BT service, sometimes with enhancements. Also, note that prices fluctuate over time, and I may not be up to date. I have moved the section on Home Networking FAQs to a separate page.
Overviews, reviews and provider directories:
Dmoz's list of UK DSL, Cable and Satellite ISPs, which I compile (the Google versions are DSL, Cable and Satellite and order the sites by popularity).
Dmoz's mainly US DSL and Cable listings which cover many smaller providers (the Google versions are DSL and Cable and order the sites by popularity).
ISP Review features busy message boards, regularly updated news and a list of broadband providers.
Net 4 Nowt is a news and listing site (their broadband section) with ISP reviews powered by dooyoo.co.uk and a busy ISP discussion forum.
ADSL Guide features an ISP list including "Best ADSL provider" and their user comment board.
World of ADSL is a discussion site featuring news, information, FAQs, ADSL provider listings and message boards.
Cable-modems.co.uk features information for cable modem users and forums for discussions.
Broadband-help.com includes articles on broadband issues, including an ISP listing with user ratings, forum and buyers guide.
Uswitch.com includes a broadband comparison section.
Whichisp.com features broadband provider listings, as well as unmetered and subscription-free ISPs.
VNUnet's Essential guide to ADSL and cable modem services (Nov 2000).
Robin Walker's Cable Modem Pages - Troubleshooting tips covering both NTL and Blueyonder services.
BTOpenworld advert
ADSL from BT prices updated Oct 2004
Basic - 512Kbps is £17.99 per month. The problem is the 1GB transfer limit per month, making this hardly a broadband solution.
BT Broadband - 512kbps is £24.99 per month (15GB cap).
ADSL from BT Yahoo! Broadband (joint venture between BT and Yahoo)
Self install services: Home single PC (incl. VAT): £26.99 per month. Modem and activation are currently free (Oct 2004). Business (ex. VAT): single PC: £29.99 per month, modem and connection are currently free Oct 2004).
BT engineer installed services from £210 modem and setup, £29.99 per month. Service up to 2000Kbps available.
BTOpenwoe has discussions and complaints on this service. My page on home networking links to FAQs on how to connect your home network to the ADSL modem.
NTL:home advert
Cable modem access from Ntl.com (prices include VAT)
Standard speed option (750Kb downstream , 128Kb upstream) is £24.99 per month including hire of the modem (subject to a 12 month minimum contract). There now appears to be no mention of the need to buy ntl's entry level package, digitalplus (which was costing £27+ a month).
Lower speed option (300Kb upstream, 64 Kb downstream) is £17.99 increment on top of existing packages
Discussions of the service rage on Nthell:world and NTL User News. My page on home networking links to FAQs on how to connect your home network to the cable-modem.
NTL.com press release - NTL emerges from bankruptcy, 10 Jan 2003 (versus NTL files for bankruptcy -BBC News)
Telewest Broadband advert
Cable modem access from Telewest Broadband (was Blueyonder)
Their lowest cost (256Kb) option is £17.99 per month (with other services) or £19.99 per month if taken by itself.
Their 750Kb service is "available for only £25 a month if you subscribe to other Telewest services, or £27.99 per month if taken by itself." They are offering free installation and first month free during Aug 2004 (was free connection, £10 discount Mar 2004).
The recent increase to 750Kb is noticeable as I occasionally make large downloads, but for most uses I believe I could quite easily downgrade to their 256Kb service, I don't believe I would hit the 750MB daily download limit very often (I'm not a big filesharer).
Blueyonder service pages: status.blueyonder.co.uk:888
I am now a subscriber to Blueyonder, I have enjoyed the experience overall. But recently there have been problems with the local web cache. Staff on Blueyonder's hi-speed support group (blueyonder.support.access.hi-speed, subscriber only) suggest switching my proxy settings to webcache.blueyonder.co.uk, port 3128. Find out which of the Blueyonder web proxies are working by using: proxyinfo.co.uk/performance.htm.
Speed in general is good, mail downloads quickly, ICQ nips around and file downloads are speedy. Running a Gnutella client is fun, sharing your files with people isn't all that nippy (only 128Kb upstream) and I can't shake off that feeling that I'm stealing other people's bandwidth, which could be better used. I have also connected via Linux very easily. The Blueyonder text-only newserver (subscriber only, no attachments) is much faster than their binary-enabled newserver (subscriber only). My page on home networking links to FAQs on how to connect your home network to the cable-modem.
ADSL from Zen Internet
256K costs £19.99 monthly with £58.75 activation.
512K costs £27.99 monthly with £58.75 activation.
Recommended: Well received by reviewers (see links at top of page), reliable enough for my work to use and friends who chose have it at home. Better customer service, but somewhat more expensive than cut-price rivals.
ADSL from Bulldogbroadband.com
Part of Cable and Wireless.
Offer a special deal in the London area: 4Mb connection for £40 per month inclusive of phone connection (no need for BT). The first three months are half price until the end of Oct 2004. Unlimited UK calls are available for another £12 per month. Switching connection from BT costs £30 until the end of October 2004 (or £60 for a new line).
Outside of London, their basic 512K service costs £20 per month, with a £50 connection charge for a 12 month contract.
Tesco internet prices
Unlimited 512K costs £19.97 per month with no other connection charges.
ADSL from Plus.net
Offer self-install, no hardware 512K ADSL access from £14.99 per month (for a 1GB limit, unlimited costs £21.99 per month) and £58.75 (inc. VAT) for activation and no modem with a 12 month contract, model would cost £44.99 modem plus P&P. Engineer install options are available as are no initial cost options, paying off the installation by higher monthly costs for the first year.
1Mb Access, with 1 GB per month bandwidth is available for £14.99 per month (from £58.75 activation, £44.99 modem with no P&P). Unlimited bandwidth costs more, £29.99 per month.
2Mb Access with a 2GB limit costs £19.99 per month, or £39.99 per month for unlimited bandwidth.
ADSL from FairADSL
will offer ADSL access for £21.72 per month (ADSL modem with microfilter for £69, activation is £58.75).
ADSL from Wanadoo (was Freeserve)
1Mb costs £17.99 per month with a 2GB limit (with packages costing up to £27.99 per month for a 40GB limit), both installation and the modem bundle are currently free (an "Alcatel broadband modem, filters, software and an instruction manual"). You may want to read the thread in the forums from dissatisfied customers.
Tiscali advert
ADSL from Tiscali
Offers USB based home internet access £24.99 per month (free installation and modem, which was £35.00).
Their 256Kb service: £17.99 per month, with a £25 set up fee.
150Kb service: £15.99 a month with a £25 set up fee.
ADSL from Onetel.net
Offers USB based home internet access, with installation, connection and modem for £23.99 per month.
ADSL from V21.co.uk
Offers USB based home internet access for £19.99 per month (optional modem is £58.75) or £37.99 per month including hardware and activation.
ADSL from Clara.net
Offers Claradsl Solo Self-Install: £50+VAT installation, £29.99 inc VAT per month.
Business is from: £50+VAT setup. Pricing per month: 512 Kb/s £53, 1024 Kb/s £78, 2048 Kb/s £98.
ADSL from Demon
Demon Express is £24.99 per month, modem is £34.99, £58.75 connection (with no micro filters).
ADSL from Nildram (getadsl.co.uk,)
"Wires only" (with no hardware) prices (inc. VAT) from: £22.99 per month and a £58.75 Activation fee. A 1GB capped version is available for £15.99 per month. Otherwise 1Mb/s - £34.99, 2Mb/s - £44.99. Part of the ISP Pipex.
ADSL from Eclipse.net.uk
Self install for £58.75 setup and £23.95 per month (optional modem from £39.95). See their pricelist.
Vigin.net advert
ADSL from Virgin.net (part of NTL)
£24.99 per month, £9.99 for modem and filters, activation is currently free (Aug 2004).
ADSL from Charitydays.net
Self install service has an activation charge of £70.50 (inc. VAT), with no hardware (modem £44.99 + £11.69 P&P), and costs from £23.99 per month inclusive of VAT, including a donation to charity.
Other providers:
AOL UK offers broadband at £24.99 per month. Connection, modem and filters are currently free. A 256Kb option costs £17.99.
Pipex offers self install NAT ADSL access from for £19.99 per month for a 1GB limited account, or £23.44 for no bandwidth limit, modem and connection are included in the price if you stay with them for 12months (£58.75 surcharge otherwise).
Boltblue - £25.99 per month, modem is £29.99. Free activation available if you sign up for 12 months access or £15.99 per month for the first three months if you pay £58.75 activation fee.
ISP buyouts - The Register's take on ongoing consolidation in the ISP industry.
Business ADSL from Easynet from £59 per month excluding VAT
Homechoice advert
Homechoice
Homechoice offer a 1MB service for £35 per month with digital television (£1 installation) adslguide.org.uk/newsarchive.asp?item=925. The Unofficial HomeChoice FAQ covers connection sharing using HomeChoice and information on enabling specific services. Home choice User Group - with Homechoice news, a guestbook, links to a user status page and Homechoice FAQs.
UK satellite providers
UK satellite providers are in a state of flux currently. Google lists them by popularity. Look carefully before leaping.
Home networks/connection sharing
I have moved the information on home networking/connection sharing to the home networking page (along with router software and dynamic DNS and email forwarding).
Buying network hardware
You may wish to use price comparison websites (or my buying computer hardware page) to find cheap networking hardware.
If you can't get, or don't want broadband, why not try my pages on unmetered internet access?
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